Salem Institute for Witches and Wizards
by DauntlessCake
Summary: What if there was an American Hogwarts where students were excepted at 14? Sophie Shaw is about to find out when a mysterious piece of paper shows up on her door step. And one more thing...the students have some interesting powers...o.O  T for safety


**HEY! so this is my FIRST Fan Fic and I'm super excited cause i've been working on it for a while. Yes, I know the textbooks are the same. You COULD say I was too lazy, but you could also make up an excuse for me such as there aren't that many wizard authors. ANYWAYSSS... R&R and tell me what you think.**

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><p>For once in my life, it was my alarm that woke me up, and not the sun streaming from my bedroom window. Of course, that day had to be the first day of summer vacation and not a normal school day. Not that it mattered, I was still pissed that I woke up at 6:45 a.m. But because I was up and couldn't go back to sleep, I padded downstairs for breakfast. There, I saw my mom, frantically typing on her Dell computer. This was a shock considering my mom is never awake before 8 in the morning.<p>

"Wow, mom. This is really early for you. Is something wrong?" I asked, suppressing a yawn.

"Oh, no. Everything's fine, I just had to send this email," she replied, waving off my concern.

"At 6:45 in the morning?"

"Oh my, is it that time already? I should probably get your father up. Sophie, go get your brother and ask him to walk the dog." Yeah, right. Like that's going to happen. My brother, Daniel, doesn't do anything for anyone but himself unless he gets something out of it, preferably money.

"You know he won't," I said, rolling my eyes, "you might as well ask him to run around the neighborhood in a frilly pink tutu. Actually, he might do that if you pay him a bazillion dollars. Yet, walking the dog, he won't." I trudged up stairs and knocked on Daniel's door. And I knocked, and knocked, and knocked. Finally, fed up, I shoved open his door and stalked in.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Daniel cried, getting off his bed.

"I'm sorry, should I have knocked? Oh wait, I already did. Four times," I said sarcastically

"Well I'm sorry I don't wake up at dawn. Unlike _some _people, I prefer to sleep in in the summer and wake up early for school. And not the other way around."

"Whatever. It's your turn to walk the dog."

"I don't _do _dog walking, unless someone is willing to pay for it."

"And I don't care. If you can't walk the dog, then you can't have a social life. You know the rules. And besides, if you're so desperate for money, get a job like a normal sixteen year old."

"Who are you, Mom? I do what I want to do, when I want to do it. And no one can tell me otherwise."

"Except not really. You can't do 'what you want, when you want to' until you're eighteen. Which, if I'm correct, isn't for another two years. Look, walk the dog, or don't, it's not my problem."

"If I don't walk him, you'll have to."

"Unless I'm asleep," I replied and walked out, slamming the door on my way. God, Danny can be so annoying sometimes. I trudged to my room across the hall and slumped back on my bed. Yeah, my summer was going really well so far.

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><p>A few hours later, we were all called down stairs for a "family meeting" also known as getting yelled at for something in front of each other. Usually, my parents would yell at Danny and me separately, as an attempt to avoid us teasing and taunting each other. That kind of failed when we learned how to eavesdrop (some of us being better at it than others. Cough, cough, me). Nevertheless, family meetings were fairly rare.<p>

I heard Danny leave is room and walk down stairs. _Look who didn't walk the dog. Again. _Deciding that it was better to get up than get yelled at and then get up, I hopped of my bed, yanked some clothes on made my way to the living room. There, I saw my brother petting the dog and my parents sitting off to the side, looking extremely uncomfortable. I plopped down on the couch and put on one of my trademark expressions that said _I have better things to do so this better be good. _"So, what's up?" I asked, trying to break the tension. I really hate it when everyone just stands (or sits) there, avoiding eye contact, and waiting for someone else to say something. Noticing my epic fail at starting a conversation, my mother lifts her head and looks to my dad.

"Your father and I have an announcement to make…" she said, trailing off at the end. This got Danny's attention, finally.

"So are you going to tell us or just stand there looking like you belong at some english tea party?" He said, looking extremely irritated. This is how I know that we're related. We both try to break the tension and fail more times than not.

"W-we-we're…." My dad started, looking extremely confused.

"We're moving," my mother cut in, "to Massachusetts," she added.

"Wait, WHAT?" I practically screamed. "You're not serious, are you? PLEASE tell me you are not serious." I would not except it. I would not move, especially not to Massachusetts.

"Where In Massachusetts are we moving to, exactly?" Danny asked, perfectly calm. How the hell can he scream his head off when his computer was running slow, but be perfectly under control when we were _moving_.

"Salem," my mom replied, her face showing no emotion.

"_Salem?_ Really?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips, "are you sure we aren't going to get burned at the stake?"

"Honey, of course not. That was practically three hundred years ago." My mom replied, shaking her head.

"Whatever. Why are we moving anyway?" Normally, parents would say they got a job offer but my mom works at a company that has offices all over the world and my dad doesn't even work.

My mom looked to my dad for help and he just shook his head. "This came for you in the mail this morning," my dad said, gesturing to a letter laying on the coffee table. I hadn't noticed it before.

"Thanks for telling me," I snapped. Honestly, couldn't they at least give me a little privacy? But, curiosity got the better of me, as usual, and I picked up the letter. "And the envelope?" I asked.

"There wasn't one. It was laying on the doorstep rolled up and sealed." My dad responded.

"Then how do you know it was for me?" I asked, suspiciously.

"Just open the damn thing, already!" Danny yelled. God, he had some serious anger issues. Anyway, I opened up the letter and read it aloud, "Dear Ms. Shaw, it brings the board of education to inform you of your acceptance into the Salem Institute of Witches and Wizards. The list of supplies needed for the school year will be delivered to you soon. Please have a parent or guardian send word that you have received this letter and to let us know whether or not you shall be attending. Classes start September 7th and have a good summer. Sincerely, Beth Aberdeen, assistant principle." I stared at the letter for a few moments and hesitantly looked up at my parents and my brother. They averted their eyes. "Is this some kind of joke?" I asked, sounding a bit hysterical.

"Unfortunately not," replied my mom, grimly.

"What do you mean 'unfortunately not'? There's no such think as magic! It's make believe, fairy tales. Everyone knows that!" I cried. This was all just some stupid practical joke, I was sure of it. They were only trying to scare me.

My mom approached me and put her hand on my shoulder as an attempt to console me, but I shrugged it off. "Mom…" I said slowly, turning to face her, "What the _hell _is going on?"

Both my parents looked at me with apologetic expressions, but it was my brother who spoke first, "Well if you're not going to tell her I will!" He said angrily to my parents. Then, he spoke to me, "look, I know this is really strange and I know you're freaking out right now, but you just have to trust us."

"Danny, seriously. What is going on?" I nearly cried. I was sick of all this cryptic crap.

"I'm going to be blunt: You're a witch." What the…?

"Wait, WHAT? You're kidding me, right? And don't you dare say 'unfortunately not!'" Dammit, why couldn't they just give it up already?

"I—We're not kidding. There is such thing as magic and _you _are a witch," he turned to our parents for help.

"He's right," my father cut it, "we-we found out when you were born. There was this man, and he came into the delivery room. H-he told us you were a witch and you were destined for greatness. Of course we didn't believe him, but then he came to our house. Now, I never gave him my address, mind you. Then he said that there was no running from it, that you _will _ be a witch. He turned then, and walked _through the walls_," My dad looked to my mom.

"We didn't know what to do, I mean he was obviously a nutcase, so at first we decided to ignore him. He would visit the house, and we would pretend he didn't exist. Eventually he stopped his awful visits. But then strange things started to happen. When you cried, it rained, but only around our house. When you had a tantrum, there was a storm. Things like that. Eventually, we started to believe that nutcase," He explained.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I whispered, barely audible. Yet somehow my mom heard me.

"We were scared. We didn't want to except the fact that you were," she paused, "a witch. So we moved. Far, far away from there. We cut all connections with anyone we ever knew, even family. But somehow, that same man found us. He told us that we couldn't escape what had already happened, or something like that. He explained that a letter would come the summer after you turned fourteen. And that if we had your best interests in mind, we would let you go"

"And that's why were moving to Salem." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," my mom replied.

Suddenly there was a loud screech and huge brown owl flew into the living room from who knows where.

"What the…." Danny started in confusion, when the owl dropped _another _letter type thing in front of me and flew away. I picked up the letter, examining it. It had the same seal on it as my acceptance letter. Hesitantly, I picked up the letter and opened it.

"Read it," Danny said, looking bored. Jeez! I just found out I'm a witch and he looks _bored_?

"Supplies Required for the 2011-2012 School year (Freshman):" I read aloud, "Attire- Three sets of grey work robes, one pair of protective gloves made of dragon hide or similar, one grey winter cloak with silver fastenings, one pair of black or grey shoes, and black or grey stockings (for girls only). Books- Standard Student Package Grade Level 1 (The Standard Book of Spells—Level 1 by Miranda Goshawk, A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot, Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore, Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, and Your Affinity and You by Lionel Barnabas.) Miscellaneous- 1 wand, 1 pewter cauldron, 1 set glass or crystal phials, 1 telescope, 1 set of silver scales. Students are also permitted to bring their animal for which they have an affinity (provided they have permission). If a student is interested in playing Quodpot or Quidditch should bring a broom and it is recommended that he/she read and bring Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp and/or the Beginner's, Intermediate, or Advanced Guide to Quodpot by Abraham Peasegood." Wow, that was a long list.

"Where the hell are we going to get all that?" Danny cries, "It's not like we can just walk into Walmart or Target and say 'hello, can you tell if you have a copy of Standard Book Of Spells Level 1', now can we?"

"I don't know! What, you think I just magic myself robes, a wand, books, etc?" I cried back, "no pun intended," I added, realizing I used the word "magic".

"Hahahahahaha! But seriously, where _are _we going to get these?" He asked.

"Somewhere, but they won't be any use unless the board knows I'm going," I replied. I walked to the kitchen to grab a piece of paper, but then I realized that I don't have any address to send it to. _Whatever, _I thought, _they're freaking wizards, I'm sure they'll have thought of _something. So I wrote my reply saying how I was so honored and can't wait and all that fluffy crap. I walked outside to put the letter in the mailbox, when I say an owl perched _in broad daylight_ on the holly tree next to the front door. But not just _any _owl, the owl that delivered my packing/supplies list. The owl had it's leg extended and it's head cocked to the side. _I'll bring it to them, the letter I mean, _a voice spoke in my head. This day was getting weirder and weirder by the second. Yet, I had a feeling it was the owl who spoke to me.

"You will?" I said aloud, surprising myself. What was I thinking, talking to the owl.

_Yes, I will. The name's Silverwing. And by the way, you can speak to with your thoughts so people won't think you're strange. _The owl—Silverwing responded.

_Did you just… _I started.

_Yes. _Silverwing responded, in my head. _And don't worry, I am a _very _reliable owl._

_Thanks. _I thought to her, as I tied the letter to her leg. _And one more thing, can all wizards to this? Talk to animals, I mean._

_Yes, It's called an affinity. Though I shouldn't say _all _witches and wizards have one. Some unfortunately do not. But it's extremely rare. It's also extremely rare to have an owl affinity. If you ask me, they're the luck ones. Witches and wizards have affinities for all different kinds of animals. Every kind of animal is an affinity for at least one witch or wizard. Since there are many of your kind, there are a few people who share affinities. Oh! Here I am lecturing you when I have a letter to deliver. I should get on my way. _

_Wait! I have more questions! There are so many things I don't understand!_

_Don't worry, you'll learn all about affinities and many other things at the Salem Institute. But I really must be going. _And with that, Silverwing flew away. But as she did, I saw a glint of something shiny, like silver, on her wings.

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><p><strong>Yes, I know it's a long(ish) one and that will probably NOT happen in the future (me being lazy again). but yeah here it is... love it? hate it? confuzzled? want more? RVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! (Sliverwing would want you to)<strong>

**one more thing, I do NOT own Harry Potter. although, I DO own Silverwing, Affinity's and the Salem Institute and all the teachers and characters. Unfortunately, I don't own quodpot or quidditch or any of the textbooks or their authors EXCEPT the one about affinities!  
>~~Badass Slytherin Boys<strong>


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